English Reference
Adverb

exclusively

adv. manner
C1 Advanced Oxford US /ɪkˈskɫusɪvɫi/ UK /ɛksklˈuːsɪvli/ ex·clu·sive·ly

adv.only and for no other person, place, or reason. You use this to show that something is limited to one specific group or purpose.

adv.to the exclusion of all others; solely or entirely. Often used to indicate restricted access or a singular focus on one subject.


SIMPLE

This club is exclusively for members.

CONTEXTUAL

The designer works exclusively with organic cotton to ensure her clothing line remains environmentally friendly.

COMPLEX

While the software was originally developed for government agencies, it is now used almost exclusively by private security firms to monitor digital infrastructure.

Usage

Typically placed before the adjective or prepositional phrase it modifies, or at the end of a clause.

Pitfall
He exclusively works hereHe works here exclusively

When modifying the entire action of a clause, this adverb usually follows the verb or the direct object rather than sitting in the mid-position.

Usage exclusively base · exclusively focus · exclusively rely

At the same time, metabolites made exclusively by microbes, including indole-3-propionate and p-cresol sulfate, declined after antibiotic treatment.

ScienceDaily· 15 Aug 2026

After a nine-year absence, the same is true of Highlander 70, a one-man comic play built exclusively around an American high-school yearbook salvaged from half a century ago.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Common in science writing


From Middle English exclusyvely; equivalent to exclusive + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English exclusyvely
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated